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DWTS 16: Meet welterweight champ Victor Ortiz

“Dancing with the Stars” has had boxers on before and they’ve haven’t faired well, except in the case of Laila Ali (partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy). Former welterweight champ Victor Ortiz will be trying to change that this season when he competes with Lindsay Arnold.

Victor Ortiz

Age: 26

Birthdate: 31 January 1987

Born: Garden City, Kansas

Partner: Lindsay Arnold

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Ortiz has made it despite the odds with boxing. He came from a broken family. He mother left the family, but his father encouraged Ortiz to learn boxing. However, his father also faltered and began drinking and soon abandoned Ortiz. Ortiz was in foster care. Ortiz eventually was taken out of foster care when his sister reachered her majority in 2002 and was able to take in Ortiz and his younger brother.

Under the guidance of former boxer Roberto Garcia, Ortiz moved to Oxnard, California to train. At 17, Ortiz did well enough to make the Olympic boxing trials. He turned pro in 2004. At 18, Ortiz gained custody of his younger brother. They live in Ventura, Ca.

Ortiz understand the importance of family and hard work, so he does have the discipline, but will he have the moves?

His partner has danced as part of Team Ballas in a Ballroom Battle a few seasons ago, but she hasn’t done this celebrity handling and strategy aspect before. She can dance, but how well can she train Ortiz and highlight his natural ability while downplaying his faults? This is her first outing so we’ll see how well she does.

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Published by Jana J. Monji

I've written for the Rafu Shimpo, LA Weekly, LA Times, Examiner.com and, more recently, the Pasadena Weekly and RogerEbert.com. I formerly worked for a dot-com more interested in yodeling than its customers.
View all posts by Jana J. Monji